Mom's work affects baby's asthma risk

Find out which careers put a pregnant mom most at risk for having a child with asthma.

A pregnant mom knows that the food she eats will affect how her baby grows and develops inside her body. Now a study has found that the air a pregnant woman breathes, particularly at work, can be a factor in her baby's risk of developing asthma later in life.

For the study, scientists from the School of Public Health in Denmark reviewed data on roughly 45,000 7-year-olds and their mothers. They found that women who were exposed to certain chemicals and pollutants while pregnant had children with an increased risk of developing asthma.

More than 18.5 percent of children of mothers who were exposed to low-molecular-weight particles and irritants at work during pregnancy contracted asthma, compared to 16 percent of children in the general population.

Which moms and babies were most at risk? Researchers found the strongest link when the mothers worked with vehicle parts, furniture, shoes, paints and glue while pregnant. Everyone deserves to breathe clean air, and every kid deserves the right to breathe. Pregnant or not, if you're concerned about the air you're breathing at work, be sure to talk with your health care provider, supervisor, or if necessary, file a complaint with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.